The Evolution of Digital Technologies – from Collaboration to eCollaboration – and the Tools which assist eCollaboration

Abstract

Collaboration, where firms share skills and/or resources in order to fulfill a common goal is not a new concept. Firms have been collaborating since the beginning of time. Projects like the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Great Wall of China could not have been completed without the collaboration of teams of people. However, while the objectives of those who engage in collaborative activities has hardly changed over time, the advent of the computer and the digital age has markedly changed how these firms engage with each other and how they cooperate to fulfill their objectives. This paper will take the reader through a journey of discovery to learn how collaboration has transformed to become eCollaboration. The paper will uncover the evolution of digital technologies which has instigated this transformation and how essential these electronic tools have become for the enablement of successful and sustainable collaboration. Finally, the paper will present a suite of tools which are currently available to assist firms in their eCollaboration endeavors. This final element represents a unique contribution to this body of knowledge and enables a contribution to practice through a meta-analysis of tools, their utility and application.

A Novel Method for Measuring, Visualizing, and Monitoring E-Collaboration

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An E-Collaboration Application for Final-Year Project Management

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